Like a lot of expectant parents do, 35-year-old Cristina Zahariuc purchased an outfit for her newborn baby to wear home from the hospital. So when it finally came time to bring little Ana Maria home, the hospital staff dutifully changed the newborn into her 'going home' clothes. The happy family returned to their Horlesti, Romania home and all was going well until Zahariuc unwrapped her little bundle of joy for her first diaper change. "Only when I got home and I invited some friends and the baby's godparents to see her did I notice my girl had a penis. I was paralyzed," said Zahariuc.

No, the hospital had not been mistaken about the sex of the Zahariuc's newborn baby - they had sent the new parents home with the wrong newborn baby. Apparently the little boy they were given had a very similar last name - Zaharia - and was situated in a cot right next to Ana Maria's.

Obviously, the confused parents immediately called the hospital where they were treated like pranksters. "It was very strange though. We were calling the hospital to tell them about the confusion and they were hanging up on us saying we should stop fooling around. They thought we were playing tricks on them," said new dad Constantin Zahariuc.

I guess all is well that ends well, but imagine how different things could have turned out. If the Zaharia infant had been a girl, there is a good chance the mix up might never have been detected. Tragedy averted thanks to a penis!

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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 10)

I am expecting my first child in March of 2009. I know i would be highly upset about the situation and immediatly hire a lawyer . I do agree with you 100% this should be taken care of As soon as possible . When i read the article i couldn't believe of what i read , and i sent it to my mother in law , and other relatives in my family . I think all new parents or parents having another child should be aware of this article . This can be a serious matter . Yes , alot of people do put their trust in hospital hands , but they do make mistakes as well .

People ~ It happened in Romania. Does Romania have socialized medicine and if so can you still sue? In some cases a law suit might be appropriate, but, yes, everyone calm down! God forbid you scratch your toe on a blade of grass in my yard...And sue me for it?

Since the people live in Romania, I doubt that getting a lawyer and sueing will work for them. However, the article did say the couples involved did get their own babies back. So all is well that ends well. And for the penis averting disaster...as those have stated..that is just too funny.

Get a life! I've had a few kids and, if they gave me the wrong baby, I would know instantly. Who writes these stories, Goofy? What kind of parent does not know their baby well enough to take the wrong baby home? They would have spent time with the kid in the hospital and seen their child previous to taking them home. This is why the news media is not to ever be believed. They lie and twist information to sell their stories.

Good Lord, CALM DOWN! Didn't you read the story? They got their baby back. The hospital thought they were playing a prank, that's why they kept hanging up. Sheesh, people need to relax. Say it with me "I will not freak out reading the news. I will not freak out reading the news".

Are you nuts? They got their baby back so lets not worry huh? The point is that the hospital is supposed to be responisble not irresponisble, this could have had an all together idfferent out come that would have been irreversible. If it had been my kid sent home with another person I am not to sure I would have been able to remain calm long enough to call a lawyer, I probably would have went to the hospital and found out who was hanging up on me thinking it was a joke and had a talk with her until she needed to go to the other side of the hospital where the ER is located. That is kind of like me saying the doctor didn't make it to deliver my child, even though I told the nurse 3 times that I needed to be checked and she told me I didn't, but what they hey I think he deserves to make 3,000 dollars he was gonna charge anyway because he was at least thinking about delivering her. I am not stupid and neither is most of the hospital staff it is laziness that causesa this to happen.

Are you nuts? They got their baby back so lets not worry huh? The point is that the hospital is supposed to be responisble not irresponisble, this could have had an all together idfferent out come that would have been irreversible. If it had been my kid sent home with another person I am not to sure I would have been able to remain calm long enough to call a lawyer, I probably would have went to the hospital and found out who was hanging up on me thinking it was a joke and had a talk with her until she needed to go to the other side of the hospital where the ER is located. That is kind of like me saying the doctor didn't make it to deliver my child, even though I told the nurse 3 times that I needed to be checked and she told me I didn't, but what they hey I think he deserves to make 3,000 dollars he was gonna charge anyway because he was at least thinking about delivering her. I am not stupid and neither is most of the hospital staff it is laziness that causesa this to happen.

Dear "Do Not Freak Out" and "Calm Down": In a way you are correct...people are too litigious in this society. However, as an attorney and as a mother of a child who was also "misplaced" by a hospital, while they overdosed me on narcotics...I agree that something further should be done. I'm not suggesting suing the hospital. Perhaps what I did when this happened to me...I demanded MY CHILD...I immediately phoned my obstetrician and informed him I was checking out that instant and why (I was only 16 hours post C-Section), and then in the next few days I wrote several formal complaint letters to the chief of staff, board of directors, human resources department, etc. to the hospital telling them exactly how close they came to a very expensive lawsuit and that they had better get their "(&*&^%&^" together or the next individual this happens too might not be so understanding.

READING ALL THESE COMMENTS is a real joke. People telling other people their dumb, people telling other people what to do. Talk about getting of the track. Everybody is so quick to jump on each other, you all really are reflecting the troubled economy's vibe. If you wanna get mad, go ahead. Chew each other out...as if it really makes a dent in anybody's daily life what Joe Anonymous has to say. FUNNY :D keep it up....lol